Will Tiger Woods sit out the Ryder Cup?

Although Tiger Woods' "wildcard" spot on the Ryder Cup USA Team is assured, with his uncertain record, will Corey Pavin utilize him as a player or as the team cheerleader?

“I am going to treat every player the same. The objective is to try to win the Ryder Cup and if in my judgment I think Tiger is to play five matches, or should play four or three, then that is what I will do — that’s my call as captain” Pavin told BBC radio on Sunday.

Tiger Woods has not won a single event nor placed himself into contention this entire PGA Tour season. With his less-than-stellar performance yesterday at the BMW Championship, Tiger Woods has removed himself from obtaining the FedEx Cup and the Tour Championship.
Bad for Tiger Woods but very good for Bo Van Pelt...

Furthermore, Woods' Ryder Cup record is intermittent at best, winning less than half the number of points (11 out of a possible 25) during his entire professional career. Even so, wasn't it Phil Mickelson who lost it for Team USA back in 2008?

I personally believe Tiger Woods should have sat out the entire 2010 PGA Tour season but, since he is now representing Ryder Cup Team USA, we can only hope that he pulls his golf game together with the help of Sean Foley.

GO TEAM USA!

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Do You Think Tiger Woods Should Represent the USA at the Ryder Cup?

Corey Pavin recently said that Tiger Woods would have to earn his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup Team.

"I'm not going to treat Tiger any different than any other player," Pavin stated. "He's certainly not going to be an automatic pick. He's just going to be treated like everyone else. I'd love to have him on the team, but I want him to be playing well."

I agree with Pavin that Woods should be treated equally with regards to his past Ryder Cup record.: 10-13-2 is not as great an accomplishment as another option for the team, namely Tom Watson, who has a 10-4-1 record. Problem with Watson is he may have already mentally defeated himself by saying, "I've never played the golf course before. That's where the Europeans have out-smarted us."

Woods has only been on a winning Ryder Cup team once in 1999 and didn't even play when Team USA ended it's losing streak in 2008.

With Woods' limited play this year, inconsistencies in his game may translate into lazy play against Team Europe. Pavin doesn't want to risk a loss.

Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers to have ever played the game and is extremely close to tying Jack Nicklaus' all major record of 18 (Tiger is only four events shy of this feat.) Jack Nicklaus believes Corey Pavin would need a "brain scan" if he left Tiger off the team but the negatives may outweigh the positives in this instance.

And so I ask the public, if you were Captain Corey Pavin, would you ask Tiger Woods to play in the Ryder Cup?


Ask Team Europe and I'll bet the answer will be a resounding "NO!"